


First Day of the Rest of My Life

by BlueTeaParty



Series: The Asshole and his Cinnamon Rolls [1]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Earthborn (Mass Effect), Interrogation, Maric is 17, Pre-Alliance, Tenth Street Reds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-01-31 19:05:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21451198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueTeaParty/pseuds/BlueTeaParty
Summary: Maric is given an offer he can't refuse.
Series: The Asshole and his Cinnamon Rolls [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/969144
Comments: 10
Kudos: 15





	First Day of the Rest of My Life

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Petty 20 goes a long way.](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/535210) by Blacksmiley. 

Maric idly tugged at the omni cuffs holding his wrists to the table. He knew it wouldn’t do any good, but whatever, he was bored.

Leaning forward, he rested his head on the table, letting his dreadlocks fall down around his face. Fuck ‘em. He grimaced. Somehow, he had never figured that it would be him sitting in an interrogation room.

Never figured that he’d be the one used a decoy either. Somehow, he had always figured he was too valuable to the Reds, too valuable to his ‘father.’ A recently implanted biotic amp and his natural talent with technology had made him think he was respected.

Well, he’d been shown otherwise.

The entire task had been a setup. Hacking into an Alliance weapon cache? What the hell had he been thinking? But when your dad, the leader of your inner-city gang, told you to do something? Well, you did it.

Not like the man was his birth father or anything. Just someone who he thought had cared about him. Enough to give him a last name at least.

But no. He was just like everyone else. Using him and then, throwing him away.

Like trash.

He was just an abandoned fucker. Worthless and a freak.

The door to his cell opened without warning. Maric didn't even bother to raise his head. “Let me guess,” he drawled, “another white prick sent to deal with me.”

The officer pulled up short, studying him for long enough that Maric start to fidget, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. Finally, he spoke, shaking his head with disbelief, “Huh, you’re only a kid.”

“Say that again, cunt.”

The man sighed. “My name is Captain Hackett and I’m probably your only shot to stay out of jail.”

“If you’re asking me to fucking snitch - ”

“I’m not asking anything.” The captain pulled out the chair sitting on the other side of the table that Maric was attached to. “We already have most of the other members of that little group you call a gang in custody.”

Maric smirked, tossing his head so his dreadlocks were out of his face. “Look, you old white cunt, I have nothing to say to you.”

“Look, I know the Reds left you behind as a scapegoat. However, hacking into an Alliance facility containing advanced military weaponry? The fact that you’re only seventeen won’t help you. You’ll be tried as an adult and you’re looking at a long time behind bars for a bunch of people that don’t give two shits about you.”

Maric frowned but kept his mouth shut. That hurt more than he wanted to let this man know. “Fuck you.”

Hackett ignored it. “Your life hasn’t even begun yet, and it’s almost over. So, I suggest you listen.”

Blue eyes peered from between matted dreads.

“We have an offer for you. We want you in the Alliance, as part of our new Sentinel program. Food, accommodations, training, the lot. Your potential is far too good to rot in the slammer.”

He grunted. “Offers like that don’t come without a catch.”

“Of course not. But I doubt its anything that you would object you.”

“Like what?”

“We’ll discuss it soon. I have questions before that.” A grunt was Maric’s answer and once again, Hackett ignored it. “What’s your name?”

“What business is it of yours?”

“We already know, but I want to hear it from your lips.”

“…Maric Reid.”

“Hmmm, Reid.” The officer frowned. “I’ll be honest with you. We ran your DNA through our system. You didn’t tell anyone you were only 17.”

“Yeh right, you cunts wouldn’t have believed me anyway.”

“Look, what I meant to say is…we found a match.”

Maric’s eyebrow raised.

“What I want to know is, how did the son of Hannah Shepard, end up with a bunch of street thugs?”

Maric frowned, ignoring the pounding of his heart within his chest. _Who the fuck is Hannah Shepard?_

The officer noticed his confusion and sighed. “You don’t even know who she is.”

“Should I? You really think, that after seventeen fucking years of not knowing, or giving a shit about my family, that I would randomly show up in some fucking DNA test?”

“Yes.” Hackett sighed. “Listen, I knew Hannah Shepard and she was a damn fine officer. One of the best I’d ever seen.” He paused, lips pursing, “You have her eyes.”

Maric snorted.

“I don’t know why you slipped through the cracks Maric. You should have been sent to an Alliance foster program, not a state ordained one,” Hackett stated. “But I do know this; the Alliance can be your family, Maric. You can be damn sure that we don’t leave one of our own behind. We can be a new start for you.”

Maric winced, idly tugging on the restrains again. “Why the fuck do you care?” he growled. “I get that you supposedly knew my mother, but she’s been dead a long fucking time. What’s in it for you?”

Hackett blinked. “Nothing really. I have a fifty credit bet.”

“…Hold the fuck up. You’re telling me that you want me to join, because you made a fucking bet, for fifty fucking credits?”

“Fifty credits.” The officer nodded. “And a bottle of whiskey.”

Maric burst out laughing. “Okay then. Sign me the fuck up.”

The omni-cuffs around his wrists disappeared and Maric rubbed them, glad to be able to move freely again.

Hackett held out a hand to him, “Welcome to the Alliance Mr Rei - ”

“No,” he interrupted, shaking his head. “My name is Shepard. If this is what you fucking say it is, then I’m registering under my birth name. And I want a ticket off Earth ASAP.”

The captain frowned briefly; their eyes met. The kid’s eyes were jaded and wary, much like the rest of his demeanor. He’d clearly seen too much for his age, been through things even people twice his age hadn’t experienced. He was old for his years. Too old for such a young body. He nodded. “Of course, Mr Shepard.”

Maric shook his hand. “Now, you mentioned a catch?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thankyou to potionsmaster, who gave this a beta-read <3


End file.
